


An Eye for a Bruise

by peanutbutter_ricecups



Series: Mafia Universe [1]
Category: Persona 5
Genre: Gen, Slight depiction of violence
Language: English
Status: In-Progress
Published: 2018-08-18
Updated: 2018-08-18
Packaged: 2019-06-29 08:11:00
Rating: Teen And Up Audiences
Warnings: Creator Chose Not To Use Archive Warnings
Chapters: 1
Words: 1,470
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/15725430
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/peanutbutter_ricecups/pseuds/peanutbutter_ricecups
Summary: Mandatory volunteer work leads six year old Akira to Igor's doorstep. Somehow things always seem to lead back to him.





	An Eye for a Bruise

**Author's Note:**

> Prologue to a Head for an Eye. How Akira came to be the bad ass we all know and love.

Akira’s class would be visiting the elderly for their mandatory volunteer work. Even as a child the irony in the event hadn’t gone over his head, but he did as his parents said and tried to make the most of it.

He was paired off with an old man who was being visited by his granddaughter at the time, she wasn’t much older than him but held herself very seriously (and Akira was a  _ serious _ kid).

They both had strange names, but he kept that criticism to himself. At one point she went to go practice the piano. Akira watched her from his spot beside Igor.

“Beautiful form Lavenza, every week you get better and better.” He crooned.

Akira wasn’t a fan of classical music, but even he could tell she was good for her age. Igor sat still as she played, elbows propped onto his knees and chin resting on folded hands. When she finished, she curtsied and showed them the new songs she was learning and hoped to perform by Akira’s last visit for them.

“That sounds really nice.” He smiled, empty. Lavenza smiled back, but Igor sat quietly beside him.

* * *

 

On the second day, they were all encouraged to bring their favorite toy to share with their partners.

The walk home all Akira could think of was what toy he’d bring to show Igor. Regardless of what the teacher said, he was absolutely  _ not _ going to bring his favorite.

It was his toy, not Igor’s. He didn’t need to see or touch it. No doubt he’d be upset Akira didn’t bring his real favorite toy, but he wasn’t about to share it with an old man he’d just met and especially not with Lavenza (incase she suddenly started to act her age and wanted it for herself).

He stared down his toy collection when he got home. In the end he just chose the third most beat up and tried his best to seem emotional over it.

-

Lavenza gently held his ‘favorite’ toy, turned it around in her hands and lightly ran her thumbs over its face. “It’s a beautiful toy, I don’t think I’ve ever seen anything like it.”

“It was a gift from my mother and father. They brought it over from America last summer.” He said. “They brought others, but this one’s my favorite.”

“Why is that?” Igor asked.

He smiled wide and bright, trying to get himself excited over a toy they bought in an airport. “I really like the colors, and its the perfect size to play with around the house.”

Igor hummed and watched Lavenza inspect the toy, their eyes caught momentarily and Akira thought he was going to be scolded by both of them for not bringing his real favorite toy in. When he opened his mouth to defend himself for lying, Lavenza only handed it back smiling sweetly. “It’s definitely something to be cherished.”

“Indeed,” Igor added. “Take good care of it.”

* * *

Day four Lavenza taught him how to make a cat's cradle. He caught on quickly and asked to be shown other rubber band tricks. Igor watched quietly, in his signature pose hunched over.

Akira showed him each mastered technique before moving onto the next one, he’d grin wickedly and told him to use each one wisely.

It didn’t make any sense, but it made him happy to hear he was enjoying himself.

On the bus ride home his seatmate kept bumping into him. At the very least he apologized.

He slammed the fence just a tad harder on his way in.

* * *

“How long have you been here? In this home?” Akira asked.

Igor hummed, “I’m afraid I’ve lost track. It feels as though I’ve been here forever.”

“Oh… At least you have Lavenza here to keep you company.”

“Yes,” he chuckled. “She’s something special isn’t she?”

Special was pushing it, but Akira wasn’t about to argue. “She’s very talented.” He replied.

Even though he hadn’t disagreed, the look Igor gave him told him he already knew he didn’t think that much of her. He didn’t seem to mind though.

* * *

On the bus ride coming over on day six, Akira was seeing red. His seatmate kept jumping out of his seat to speak with the kids behind them. A couple times when he stood up on the seat his backpack caught on Akira’s hair and strands would catch and be plucked out. This time he hadn’t apologized or seemed aware he was annoying him so much.

Lavenza’s eyebrows rose a bit when she saw him exit the bus. He could see she wanted to look back towards Igor, but caught herself before doing so.

Igor stood and stared like he always did. When Akira calmed himself down enough to approach and greet them, Igor only nodded before leading the way back towards his rm.

Lavenza played for them Igor’s favorite piece. He hunched over in his seat and Akira tried to focus on the music than the anger burning a hole into his chest.

He asked his teacher to be seated alone on the bus ride home.

* * *

Day seven his seatmate ran up and down the bus while the adults were loading their bags.

He did his exercises and started counting back from ten then started humming the tune to his favorite cartoon. When he got to the last chorus and started fading off, anger slowly subsiding, his seatmate vaulted from the seat behind him. Akira held the back of his head from where his seatmate kicked him, he laughed happily over his stunt and wasn’t even aware of his unforgivable act.

Whether it was intentional or not didn’t matter. Akira only saw red when his body moved on instinct and shoved him away.

You could hear the rush of adults boarding the bus from a mile away. His old seatmate fell badly onto the seatbelts and hurt a part of his eye.

His class was never given the full details, but they were young enough to imagine gruesome stories of what had happened.

* * *

When he stepped into the room, Lavenza glanced up at him before immediately turning back towards her book; furiously scribbling down and scratching her pen against the page. “We’ve missed you these past couple of days.”

“Indeed, I’m afraid I’ve grown accustomed to having someone sit beside me when Lavenza plays.” Igor bemoaned. “We were told a situation occurred on the way here.”

Akira nodded and closed the door. He’d already started to take out his latest school project before remembering to answer. “My seatmate fell on a belt buckle.”

Lavenza stopped writing mid sentence. Pen still held delicately in her hand, she looked up towards Igor and then to Akira. “Is that all?”

Akira opened his mouth but slowly closed it, response losing its momentum.

Wasn’t that all?

* * *

Day eleven Akira was practicing his english writing exercises. He sat quietly as Lavenza went through her chords. Feeling Igor's eyes on him, he exhaled smoothly through his nose and turned his head up to smile at him; his pencil still sitting perfectly at the tail of his Q.

Igor grinned wryly back, “You’re a very unique young man, Akira. I don’t think I’ve ever met anyone like you before.”

He tilted his head and moved his pencil to start on the R. “Thank you.”

* * *

Day twelve Igor had another visitor. An younger man in a white suit with a pink undershirt. Akira thought his hat looked tacky yet he still held it delicately in his lap, hands tracing the thick lining.

“Everything’s alright in Tokyo, Kaneshiro’s in the process of training their next in line. The new girls gonna be handling the latest shipments from America and potentially striking a deal with some guys overseas.”

Igor nodded, watching Lavenza pour them both a cup of tea. “How is Wakaba doing? Has she decided to return?”

The man sighed thickly and threw his head against the back of the chair, a sour look on his face. “She doesn’t want Futaba getting caught up in any mess. She’ll finish the projects she had going on before, but that’s about it.” Dropping his chin to his chest, he cracked an eye open and finally acknowledged the six year old holding his hat. “Should we really be talking about this in front of a kid?”

“He’s a unique child, Sakura-kun. I think you’ll find each other’s company quite enjoyable.”

The comment was directed towards both of them, so Akira raises his head to meet the man’s eyes pensively tracing the frame of his glasses. Akira blinked, unsure of what face to make or whether he should look forward to seeing this man again. He was impartial over the whole thing.

They seemed to reach the same conclusion as he just nonchalantly threw his head back again.

“We’ll see."


End file.
